Front-feed attachment device for bookkeeping machines



April 20, 1954 MAURER 2,675,904

FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR BOOKKEEPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 2, 195o v sheets-sheet 1 CJL C' (1009090900 Folia....0

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INVENTOR ATTORN EYS H. MAURER April 2o, 1954 FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR BOOKKEEPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 2, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. MAURER April 2o, 1954 FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR BOOKKEEPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 2,'1950 t 7 Sheets-SheetI 3 H. MAURER Api-i120, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV. 2, 1950 H. MAuRl-:R 2,575,904

FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR BOOKKEEFING MACHINES April 2o, 1954 'I' Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 2, 1950 ma m Nm m Wmfn s Nm H E 7W! m \m .n mw N H. MAURER April-'20, 1954 FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR BOOKKEEPING vMACHINES 1' Sheets-Sheet -6 Filed NOV. 2, 1950 ,nu u

VY viv plil 20, 1954 MAURER 2,675,904

FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR BOOKKEEPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 2, 1950 7 Shee'cs-Sheei'l 7 llllll alla LL Patented Apr. 20, 1954 FRONT-FEED Afr'rAoHMENfry DEvIoE Fon BooKKEEPING MACHINES Hans Maurer, Zug, Switzerland, assigner to Ruf- Buchhaltung Aktiengesellschaft, Zurich, Switzerland Application November 2, 1950, SerialNo. 193,584

19 Claims. 1

The invention relates to a typewriter office machine comprising devices for bookkeeping and for indicating the last line of the sheets, bookkeeping sheets or otherwise, to he typed upon.

It is a main object of theinvention to provide an omce machine of the kind referred to wherein at least two bookkeeping sheets can be adjusted to the line to be typed upon independently ofV one another.

It is another object of the invention to provide an ofce machine of the kind referred to wherein the typist is automatically warned when the last line available on a sheet for being typed upon has in fact been typed upon so that the sheet has to be exchanged for a new one.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an oiiice machine of the kind referred to wherein at least two sheets can Yloe typed upon without requiring the interposition of a carbon paper.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an oiice machine of the kindreferred to wherein the objects set forth hereinabove can be achieved. with sheets of different width. vThese and other features of the invention will become apparent from the description of some preferred embodiments of the invention given vmerely by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawing. y

ln order that the invention may be better understood and readily carried into electf Fig 1 shows the front attachment device in Afront elevation,

Fig.A 2 shows the same in side elevation on'va larger scale,

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figfl on a still larger scale,

e is a section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a detail of Fig. 3 in plan view,

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3,

Fig. '7 is a side elevation as seen from the side opposite to that of Fig. 2 with the cowling in section,

Fig. 8 is a section along the line 8--8 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a vsection along the line 9-9 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 10 is a section along the line I l-Iilof Fig. l, Figs. 3 to 1G being all on the same scale.

Fig. l1 is a perspective viewr on a smaller scale of a bookkeeping machine on which an indicating device for the end of the journal sheet is attached.

Fig. 12 is a part view, corresponding to the left hand end of Fig. 1 and on the same scale as the latter, of an ofcemachine of the kind represented in Fig. 11, and y Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic representation of the .indicating device circuit.

wall.

lever l I.

VI abutments 6 are arranged which, as shown in Fig. 2, come to bear on pins 'l of the typewriter carriage W and thereby secure the device in a position appropriate for typing. By shifting the vabutnnents 5, the level of the device relative to the typewriter platen S can be accurately determined.

,Parallel to the wall 2 there is a'second vwall 8 which is rigidly connected to the rst mentioned In the two walls 2, 8 aA shaft Ill is rotatably journalled which carries at its outer end a hand Coaxially to the shaft l0 and journalled on the same rthere is a sleeve I2 which in turn carries a hand lever I3. The two levers II and I 3 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) lie directly side by side on the left hand end of the device. A toothed segment I4 is xedly connected with the shaft II) and an accurately identical segment IB is xedly connected with the sleeve I2. The segment I4 carries a pointer Il and the segment I6 carries a pointer I8 both of which project beyond the cowling I9 and are intended to play on a scale 20. Toothed pinions 2I and 22 respectively are in mesh with the segments I4 and I6 (Fig. 3). A partly toothed ratchet disc 24 is fixedly connected with the pinion 22,V and an identical ratchet disc 25 is ixedly connected with the pinion 2l. The gear 2l and ratchet wheel 24 are in fixed connection with Aa hollow shaft 26, while the gear 22 and ratchet wheel 25 are xedly connected by a pin 21 with a hollow shaft 28 (Fig. 4). The two shafts 26 and 23 penetrate the casing I of the device and carry on their :free ends a gear wheel 29 and 3B, respectively. These two gear wheels are arranged within the brake casing 3I (Figs. 7 and 9).v

On the shaft I() a transmission member 32 (Figs. 3 and 6) and on the sleeve I2 an identically constructed transmission member 33 is idly mounted. The cam projections 32a and 33a, respectively (Fig. 3) of the latter can be brought into engagement with the toothed ratchet discs 24 and 25, respectively. On the transmission members 32 and 33 noses 32h and 33h, respectively, are arranged, on which abut the front ends 35a, 36a of control levers 35 and 36. The two control levers 35 and 36 are mounted on an axle 34 which in turn is journalled axially shiftably in the walls '2 and 8. The levers 35 and 36 have projections 35h and 36h, respectively, which cooperate with two-armed levers 31 and 3B, respectively. The

two latter are also idly mounted between the walls 2 and 6 on an axle 40 and are under the action of springs 35. Two-armed detent levers il and d2, respectively, bear on the levers 3l and 38, which detent levers are tiltably arranged on an axle43. These levers il and 42 cooperate also with the two toothed ratchet discs 24 and 25. The transmission members 32 and 33 each have an abutment face i on each of which bears a nose `46 of the levers 4! and 42 owing to theaction of the springs 36. The segments I4 and I6 each have a projection lil, against which Ibear the locking arms 138 which are tiltably arranged on ah axle 45 and which are under the action of torsion springs 50. i

On the axle i3 (Fig. 3) two 'ejector levers 5I and 52 are idly mounted which are provided with keys 53, at their outer ends. Each of the levers vStand 52 carries a pn54 which cooperates with the lever arms 4] and "42, respectively. yCoaxially to th`e ratchet Idiscs 2 `4 and 25 two line 'spacer levers '56 and '5l are tilt'ably arranged which are 4lield in theirupper end position by the action ci springs 5E. The levers 56 Eand 57 each have fan arm 59, which 'cooperates with the transmission members 32 Vand 33, respectively. The levers 5I arid 5 2', too, are held in their upper end positionslbyspring 60; the levers 56 and 5l, too, are 'provided at 'their outer V ends with keys 53. Spring 6I, y"62 'and 63 tend to hold the segments 141'6, the transmission members 32 and vas well'as Jthe llevers 375 'and 36 in the position represented in Fig. "3.

l On the axially fshiftab'le ja'xle 34 'an arm 65 is attached which projects downward beyond the casing i9. FThis lastfrnentioned lever arm er'- terids into`- the operative range of fa bell cra-nir lever 6l `(llligs. 2 ando) ,which Yis tiltably pivoted 'on the typewritericarriag'e W. One arm, S'lajoi the bell crank 'lever Sl'carries a pin "68 whichcan run v'up on to agnide Ywl'ii'chis designed'aspart orastationary contro-l member "I0 attached to the typewriter frame.

The 'gear 2'9is "inmeshwiih a pinion 1 2 ligs 7 and `8) which meshes with `a `further pinion The fgear 3,6 meshes with "a `further pinion '74. The two pinioris 13 and'fldjare niredly'attacliedto shafts 1-5 "and j16, respective`ly, 'the 1latt'rn' carrying sprocket wheels Ufa-nd "I8,jres"pectively (Figs. Vl and j lG). The sprockets of the `wheels Ti and di'. project into -'gt'iizl'e slots '86 vand 5iof :the sheet holder 82 'which servesa li-errent elosrire 'wall Aof ithe device. yO n:each "jshait 15and 76 a'ftorsion spring '8a3 (Fig. 9) is attached "at the outer fend, which Ysprings v'lie each a 'separa te"casing '55. vlt/.ioreover"laworin wheel L 815 is arranged on each-'of the'shafts "E5 and "I6 bothfof 'which worm wheels mesh with a coinmonworm y(Fig. '8), The shat 86 or the worm A'S1 'carries Iaicentriiu'g'al brake 5876 hymeans of Awhich the speed of the shafts "l''and T6 vcanbe"limited jAs shown in Figs. 7 to `9, the wholebrake devicefis arrengedin thecasing '3 i.

ATheoperation ofthe device is as follows:

Forthe lpurpose ef i typing on the :journal sheet, the "latter isshifted from tlietop into the "guide slot 8 1 until it lcies "to lieon to a sprocket Iof eachofpthe sproclet wheelsTSKFig. l0). VI 'n "an analogous; manner 'an account Vslieetisishi'fted into the-*gd e slot 8l),"iI'r-frontof the journal sheet fand cornes o'lie non to 'a sprocketof each of 'the sprocket wheels T1. "In rder'to adjiist the jourthe journal sheet, the lever I3 is rocked forward so far that the pointer I8 comes to stand over the number 10 of the scale 20. Thereby the journal sheet is brought into the desired position. When the lever i3 with the segment i5 is rocked, the hollow shaft 28, too, is accordingly turned. through the pinion V22. Thereby the shaft 'I6 is turned through the gear 30 and the pinion lll (Fig. 7). Consequently the torsion spring 64 arranged on the latter is tensioned, while the sprocket wheels 78 effect the transport of the journal sheet into its desired position.

F'ij the adjustment of the account sheet to the desired 'typingpositioir the hand lever il is rocked forward, until the pointer il indicates on "the scale '2t the number that corresponds to the line to be typed on of the account sheet. By the adjiistment of the lever El at the same time vic. the segment il! the pinion El is set into rotation and 'viathe shaft 26 thereof and the gears 29, 12,7793 'also 'the shaft l5. Thereby the torsion spring 82% 4on the latter, too, is tensioned while thesprocket wheels l1 thereof eirect the transport of vthe `account sheet into the correct position. The two torsion springs Sli can, however, not expand, since the lfront ends of the detent levers 'i *and i2 'engage into vthe teeth of the ratchet discs 24, 25 and accordingly arrest the same in their Aposition. The two sheets, i. e. the journal *the'account lsheet can now be typed As soon as lthe typewriter "carriage W has 'reached its left hand side 'end position, it is returned, either by l"hand or, on electrical machines "ad'tomatically, to its initial position on the `right hand side. Shortly before 'reaching the yinitial position, the arrniiia (Figs. 2, 3 and 6) Aof the bell `crank 4lever 6'! yhits the guide 69 and causes the lever 61 'to rockin a clockwise direction "since the pin 58 thereof v'runs 'upward lontle guide 56g. Thereby tilting of the arm 65 and rotation of t'heaxle 3A is initiated whereby also a "rotation fof the control levers 35 -and 3B seiected. As shown in Figs and `'5, the ends r'35o A'and -3-"6'af the levers 35 and 35 'rest on 'the 'projections 32h and "33h of the transmission members 32, 33. By the rocking of 'the levers 55, 36 accordingly the transmission members nd anabtm'erit, so "that their noses 32a 'and 33o,5respectively, enter into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet discs 24, 25. The latter, too,

- have 4been turned, as stated hereinabove, 'when the gears 2l, 22 were turned and have `be'enarrested lrby the levers fili, 652, so that inthe actual t l,moment the toothed parts of the ratchet discs guide '69 Ythe "springs 52, 63 'fare capable of re'- tiirnin'g 'the transmission members 312, 133 and the control levers 35, 36, respectively, into lthe Slt 'follows that ythe `ioses y32a andfa are'fdiserrgagedfrom"the'teeth At the same time, however, the springs 39 retractthe Ylevers'll and t2, "too, "into their position as fillustrated, whereby their lower ends engage fagain Airlto the fte'eth of the ratchet discs 24, 25. The distance of the noses 32a and 33a of the transmission members 32, 33 as well as of the lower ends of the levers 4| and 42 is such that during the movements mentioned hereinabove the ratchet discs 24, 25 are adjusted back one-tooth owing to the action of the torsion springs 8d as well as owing to the action of the springs 6| which engage the segments Id, IS. This backing causes, via the components 26, 2S, 29, 33, 12, 13, 15, 16, a rotation of -the sprocket wheels 11 and 1B, whereby the journal sheet as well as the account sheet are moved a line spacing. The latter are accordingly ready for being typed on anew. During the movement of the typewriter carriage to the left hand side the pinf68 (Fig. 6) passed below the guide 63 and accordingly is incapable of effecting a displacement of the arm 65.

As set forth hereinabove, a line spacing is effected ofthe journal sheet as well as of the account sheet. When the axle 34 is axially shifted a certain distance by means of the knob 34a, Figs. and 6, the control levers 35 and 36 are shifted in the axial direction. The new position of the axle 34 is secured by a ball 90 (Figs. 3 and 5) which is under spring bias and which engages into grooves 5| of theaxle. In the new position of thelevers 35 and 36 the end 35a (Fig. 5) is no longer over the nose 321i of the transmission member 32. On the other hand-.the projection 35h of the lever 35lies now above the lever 31. The end 36a of the lever 36 which has an upturned part, keeps lying over the nose 'of the transmission member 33. From what has been said it follows that when the arm 65 is tilted again, i. e. when the'typewriter carriage has been brought back to its righthand side end position, the transmission member 33 is again deected by the end 36a of the lever 36. Thereby it is made possible in the manner mentioned already hereinbefore, that the toothed ratchet disc 25 is turned back a tooth, and that the journal sheet isspaced another line. Owing to the renewed rocking of the arm 65 and accordingly of the axle 34, a tilting of the lever '31 about its axle 45 is effected by the projection 35h of the lever 35, to wit inan anticlockwise direction. Since, as stated hereinabove, the segments I4 and I6 havebeen turned, the two locking arms 42 (Fig. 3) are released by the projections 41; accordingly they bear on to the levers 3i and 33 under the action of the springs 50. When now the lever 31 is rocked, the shoulder d8a of the lever [it bearing on the former moves below the lever 31 under the action of the spring 5I! in order to keep the latter in the tilted position. By the rocking of the lever 31- arocking of the lever el, too, has been causedV against the action of the spring 39. Since the lever 31 Vremains in its tilted position owing to its abutting on the shoulder 38a, the lever 4|, too, remains in its tilted position and accordingly out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet disc 24. The consequence thereof is that the torsion spring 84 (Fig. 9) arranged on the shaft 15 can expand, and in turn shift the account sheet in the guide slot S3 upwards by means of the sprocket wheels 11 (Fig. l0) so far that it can be freely taken out. On the other hand the pointer |1 as well as the hand lever are restored to their initial position by the shaft 15 through the components 13, 12, 29,` 25, 24,' 2l and I4. In a manner described already hereinabove, a new account sheet can now be inserted into the guide Vslot 80, and by the renewed rocking of the lever the same can be brought into its appropriate position for being typed upon. The journal sheet is already. in a position in which it can be typed upon anew.

The axle .34 can be shifted axially a further stretch, to wit so far that the end 36a of the control lever .36 does no longer lie above the nose 33h of the transmission member 33. However, the projection 35h has been brought into a position above the lever 38, while the projection 3519 lies still above the lever 31. When in this position the arm 65 (Fig. 3) is again rocked, the rocking of both the levers 31 and 38 is effected through the projections 35h and 36h which levers remain secured in their tilted position by the shoulders 43a of the two arms 48, in the same manner as described hereinabove with reference to the lever 31. Consequently the two levers 4| and 42, tod-are rocked, and their lower ends are disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet discs 24, 25. It is clear that in this case both shafts 15, 16 are .turned owing to the action of the torsion springs 84. From what has been said hereinabove it follows, that the journal sheet as well as the account sheet are moved back, to wit so far that they rest on a sprocket of each of the sprocket wheels 18 or 11, respectively. At the same time the pointers l1, I8 and the hand levers II., I3 have been brought back into theirinitial position in the manner already represented.

As will be'seen from Fig. 3, the ratchet discs 2t and 25 have a toothed portion and a smooth circular portion |33. When e. g the lowest line of the journalsheetis in the position for being typed upon, the forward end of thev lever 42 engages into the portion |33 free of teeth ofthe ratchet disc' 25. .As soon as this line is typed upon and the typewriter carriage returns into its right hand side position, a spacing movement of the journal sheet is effected as described hereinabove. Since the front end of the lever i2 thereby comes to lie on the part |03 of the ratchet disc 25, the torsion spring 84 of the shaft I6 can rexpanduntil the pointer I8 has reached its uppermost end position and the segment It comes "to bear onto the adjustable abutment |51. Thereby the journal sheet is adjusted upward until it rests onl thel sprocket wheels 11B only and can be freely drawn out of the guide slot 8|. j p

In exactly the same manner the accountA sheet, too, is thrown out in its guide slot after the last line on it has been typed upon.

From what has been set forth hereinabove it follows that the following courses of motions of the bookkeeping sheets are capable o being adjusted entirely automatically:

1. Line spacing of the account sheet and -of the journal sheet, y

2. Line spacing of the journal sheet and ejection of the account sheet. j

3. Ejection of the journal sheet and of the account sheet.

rl'he ejection of each sheet after the last line of it has been typed upon is effected, to wit-independently of one another, in any case owing to the smooth circular portion |03 of the ratchet discs 24 or 25, respectively.

The release of the journal sheet or of the ac.- count sheet can be effected by hand, instead of automatically as described. For this purpose levers 5|, 52 and 56, 51 are provided. When the lever 5| is depressed by touching its key 53, the pin 54 thereof (Fig. 3) .is capable of tilting the selector means connected with` the said separate automatic release means a-nd having positions selecting alternatively the step-by-step spacing of all of the said sheets by releasing the said detent means temporarily at the end of the return movement of the said carriage, the step-bystep spacing of one sheet and the complete discharge of another sheet by temporarily releasing one detent means and completely releasing the other detent means, and the complete discharge of all of the said sheets by completely releasing all of their associated detent means. f

2. In a typewriter machine having a frame, a carriage, and a platen rotatably journalled in the carriage, a device for controlling the line position of the sheet to be typed upon in said machine, comprising in combination: mechanical spacing means independent of the machine platen engaging the said sheet and 'spring biased lever means cooperating with the said mechanical means, both the said mechanical means and the said lever means being arranged on the machine [carriage and partaking in the to-and-fro movement thereof independently of a turning movement of the machine platenl stationary cam means attached to the machine frame cooperating with the said lever means towards the end of the return movement of the machine carriage to the beginning of a new line only, adjustment means connected to the said. mechanical means setting the said sheet to a selected line position,

Aand spring means connected to the said mechanical means loaded by the said adjustment means when adjusting the line position of the saidsheet, the said lever means when cooperating with the said stationary cam means releasing the said spring means for operating the said mechanical means in the sense of advancing the said sheet.

3. The `combination claimed in claim 2 comprising in addition: position sensitive means response to the position of the said-sheet, detent means cooperating with the said position sensitive means and with the said spacing means limiting the movement of the latter to one line spacing at a time of the said sheet until the lastline to be typed upon is reached, the said position sensitive means presenting a smoothv portion to. the

operatively positioned detent means upon the re- L turn of the carriage after the termination of the last line to be typed, whereby the said spring means are allowed to expand completely and to move the said spacing means into a position disengaging the said sheet.

4. A front-feed attachment device for the carriage of a typewriter machine controlling and indicating the spacing position of a top sheet to be typed directly upon and of at least one otherv`- sheet to be typed upon indirectly through the` said top sheet, comprising in combination: separate adjustment means individually adjusting each sheet to a selected line position, separate spring means associated with each of the said adjustment means and loaded when adjusting the line position of the respective sheet, separate detent means retaining each of the said spring means -in the loaded condition, separate release means for each detent means, and common selector means alternatively selecting the joint release of all of the said idetent means one line spacing at a time, the joint complete release of the said detent means, and the release of one detent means one line spacing at a time with simultaneous complete release of the other detent means by the said release means.

5. A front-feed attachment device as claimed in claim 4, comprising in addition: for each sheet, separate position-sensitive means responsive to the line position of its associated sheet and operatively connected to the detent means of the spring means associated therewith, allowing a step-bystep release until the last line to be typed on said'sheet is completed, and completely releasing the same when reaching a position corresponding to the completion of the last line to be typed thereon.

6. A front-feed attachment device as claimed in claim 4, comprising in addition: for each sheet, separate manually operated release means cooperating with the detent means of the spring means lassociated therewith, releasing the same one spacing step upon each manual operation.

7. A front-feed attachment device as claimed Vin claim 4, comprising in addition: for each sheet, separate manually operated release means cooperating with the detent means of the spring means associated therewith, releasing the same com- -pletely when manually operated once.

8.- A front-feed attachment device as claimed in claim 4, comprising in addition: guide means for the said sheets, and an ink ribbon attached to the lower edge-of the saidguide means in a position between the top sheet and the other sheet in front of the machine platen, whereby the Atyping on to the top sheet is transferred on to the other sheet independently of the typewriter ink ribbon and of a carbon paper.

9. A front-feed attachment device as 'claimed in claim 4, comprising in' addition: 'overdrive gearing means operatively connected to the said adjustment means, and centrifugal brake means connected to the said gearing means limiting the rotational speed thereof.

10. A front-feed attachment device for thecar--, riag'e of a typewriter bookkeeping machine inde-f` pendently controlling the line position of an account sheet to be typed upon directly and of a journal sheet to be typed upon indirectly Athru 'the said account sheet, comprising in combination; for each sheet a manually operable adjustment lever, a toothed segment iixedly connected to the said lever, a toothed gear'pinion in mesh with the said segment, a irst shaft extending in the direction of the carriage motion, a spur gear wheel, the said'shaft connecting the said pinion with the said spur gear wheel for rotation, a spur gear pinion in mesh with the said spur gearwheel, .a second shaft connected with the said spur gear -pinion and extending parallel to the said irst Vshaft over the length of the'machine carriage, sprocket wheels xedly arranged on the said secondfshaft and engaging into corresponding per- ;forations of the associated bookkeeping sheet, a

' ratchet wheel rlxedly arranged onfthe said rst shaft, torsion spring means arranged on the said second vshaft loaded by the rotation of the said second shaft eifected by the operation of the said adjustment lever and tending to rotate the said second shaft inthe spacing direction of the associated bookkeeping sheet,v aV pawl member engaging the said ratchet wheel and restraining it from rotating under the. action. v of the said torsion 'sp1ing'means,"and automatic control meansv in operative connection with the said pawl member and adapted to cooperate with a stationary abutment member arranged on the machine frame towards the end of each return movement of the machine carriage to the beginning of a new line for releasing the said ratchet wheel for rotation acta-cot 1 l theV spacing" direction of the" associated bookkeepingsheet.

l1?. A frontfeed attachment device as claimed in claim 10, comprising in additioni for each sheeta scale Xedly attached to the device, and a pointer playing on said? sca-1e and; nxedl-y connected to the said adjustment lever, the said pointer' indicating on the said scale the line adjiisted of the associated sheet by the said adjstrhnt l'eV.

12. A front-feed attachment device as claimed claim 1G, comprising in addition:v for cach sheet a manually operable key operatively' connected to one' of the said pawl members Vand when operated releasing the said ratchet wheel to' turn one tooth only whereby the associated sheet is advanced one line.

13';- A frontdeed attachment device as claimed iri'claini 10, comprising in addi-tion: for each sheet a ii-ariiia'lly operable key operatively" connected to one of the' said pawi members and' when oper' ated releasing the said ratchet wheel completely to turn until the associated tl-"sion Sprl-hg means completely expanded whereby the associated sheet isejected.v

i4. A front-feed attachment device as claimed inlclaini 10, wher-'ein the' said ratchet whcels'have eac a toothed circumferential portion operativa 11V gad by the Said paWl' member correspond'- ing to the spacing range of the" associated sheet from the first to the last line to be typed upon, and a smooth portion ihoper'atively engaged by the said pawl member corresponding to the range of said sheet beyond the last line', whereby the said torsion spring means expands one tooth of the ratchet wheel at a time from the first line to' the last, and expands completely after the termination of the last line; and the sheet is automatically ejected.

1.5'. A front-feed attachment device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the said automatic control means include a doubleearmed control lever pivoted on' the machine carriage, spring-biased for slidingl contact of one arm with a cam-shaped stationary abutment on the machine frame, and with the other arm in operative connectiony with the' said pawl member, whereby uponk deflection of the said first arm by the saidf stationary abutment the said pawl member is disengaged by the other arm of the said control lever temporarily from theisaid ratchetwheel.

16. A front-reed' attachment device as claimed in claim 15, comprising in addition: for each sheet a bell crank lever in operative connection with the said control lever, a double-armed transmission member engaging with one arm an arm of the said bell crank lever andY with the other arm the said ratchet wheel, and a projection on the said transmission member, the said projection being resiliently engaged by the said pawl member, whereby upon deflection of the said control lever the said pawl member is disengaged from the said ratchet wheel and the said transmission member is engaged into the said ratchet wheel after a rotational movement thereof corresponding to' one line spacing of the associated sheet.

17. A front-feed attachment device as claimed in claim 116,. comprising` in addition: a common shaft tcrsionally connecting the said bell crank levers to the said control lever and axially shiitable together with the said bell crank levers relative to the Said control lever, manually operable selector means for shifting the said shaft longitudinally, and resilient detent means arresting the' said shaft in selected positions.

18. A front-feed attachment device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the arms of each bell crank lever are turned axially at their ends, and comprising in addition: for each sheet a two-armed intermediary lever having one arm coordinated with an arm of one of the said bell crank levers and the other arm coordinated with one of the said pawl members, the said shiftable shaft having a first position wherein one arm of each bell crank lever engages an arm of its associated transmission member whereby upon deflection of the said' control lever each ratchet wheel is released oneV 'tooth only and consequently both sheets are advanced one line at a time; a second position wherein one bell crank lever is disengaged from its associated transmission member and engaged with its associated intermediary lever, while the other bell crank lever with its axially turned end still engages its associated transmission member and is still disengaged from its associated intermediary lever whereby upon deflection of the said control lever one ratchet wheel is completely released and the associated sheet is completely ejected, while the other ratchet wheel is released one tooth only and consequently the associated sheet is advanced one line at a time; and a third position wherein both bell crank levers are disengaged from their associated transmission members and each is engaged with its associated intermediary lever, whereby upon deflection of the said control lever both said p'awl members are completely disengaged from their respective ratchet wheels and consequently both sheets are ejected.

19. A front-feed attachment device as claimed in claim 18 comprising in addition: a projection arranged on each of the said toothed segments, for each of the said segments a pivoted locking army cooperating with the said projection of its associatedY segment, and a shoulder on each of the said lool-:ing arms cooperating wtih one of theY said intermediary levers whereby the said intermediary levers are arrested in their position deected by the associated bell crank lever unless the said locking levers are engaged by the said projections of the said segments and swung out of engagement with the said intermediary levers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED' STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 531,893v Ashby Jan. 1, 1895 2,086,945 Pfeiffer July 13, 1937 2,142,603 .Brown et al Jan. 3, 1939 2,216,081 Kniehahn et al. Sept. 24, 1940 2,326,291 Dodge et al Aug. 10, 1943 2,387,068 I-leghauei` Oct. 16, i945 2,411,335 Prezioso Nov. 19, 1946 

